Astros report: Grossman's return spells end to platoon

The Astros' Dexter Fowler, left, and George Springer, right, will be joined in the outfield by Robbie Grossman, who now will serve as the everyday left fielder.

Photo: Elaine Thompson, STF

SEATTLE - One of the Astros' two platoons is gone.

After Sunday's 4-1 victory over the Mariners, the Astros optioned L.J. Hoes to Class AAA Oklahoma City and recalled Robbie Grossman to be the team's everyday left fielder again, ending a run during which Alex Presley and Hoes shared left-field duties.

"He will play left field every day," manager Bo Porter said. "We'll get (Presley) some at-bats here and there, but the regular three outfielders will be Grossman, (Dexter) Fowler and (George) Springer."

Grossman's tale is one of the stranger ones the Astros have had this season. Near the end of spring training, he was suddenly anointed the team's No. 2 hitter, the spot for which All-Star second baseman Jose Altuve had long been slated.

After 55 plate appearances in 14 games, Grossman was out the door. He had options, and the team was ready to promote Springer, so Grossman was sent to Oklahoma City in mid-April.

Now he's back. Grossman hit .299 with a .373 on-base percentage and .453 slugging percentage in 34 games. He has three home runs, 31 strikeouts and six walks.

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On deck: at Kansas City

1Big production: Jose Altuve has hit safely in 16 of his last 17 games since May 8, and he's hitting a whopping .440 with seven doubles, a triple and a home run in that run. He's on a four-game multi-hit streak, with 12 multi-hit games in the 17-game run.

2Not again: Righthander Yordano Ventura isn't someone the Astros want to face again. Ventura, Monday's scheduled starter for the Royals, sits around 98 mph and occasionally eclipses 100 mph. He got his first MLB win on April 15 at Minute Maid Park, striking out seven in seven innings in a 4-2 victory.

3Familiar face: Jimmy Paredes, now with the Royals, was recalled from Class AAA Omaha on Friday. He played four games in April but none against the Astros, who lost Paredes on waivers in the offseason. Evan Drellich

Pitching matchups

Astros Royals

TodayScott Feldman (2-2) Yordano Ventura (2-4)

TuesdayCollin McHugh (2-3) Jeremy Guthrie (2-3)

WednesdayJarred Cosart (3-4) Danny Duffy (2-4)

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"I think sometimes it's just a combination of things," Porter said of Grossman's early struggles. "One, you're eager to get off to a good start. Things start to domino a little bit. Then defensively, there were a few plays that I think wore on him as far as plays that he didn't make. … When your confidence starts to go a little bit, we felt at the time it was the best thing to get him down to Oklahoma City, let him get his confidence."

Marc Krauss and Jesus Guzman will continue to platoon at first base.

Krauss keeping focus on his game

For all the talk about prospect Jon Singleton, Marc Krauss is having a strong month at the plate, even if the hits haven't been terribly loud.

Just as he did two weeks ago Sunday in Baltimore, Krauss on Sunday gave the Astros some padding with a late home run in a 4-1 win over the Mariners. The Astros led 2-1 in the seventh when Krauss took Hisashi Iwakuma out to right at Safeco Field.

"In that situation, Matty (Dominguez) had that nice double to start something off. I was just trying to hit the ball hard to the right side at the very least to get him over to third with less than two outs," Krauss said. "So I told myself just go for it. … I kind of dove out there and got it."

Krauss knows Singleton, the first-base prospect, is due in the majors sooner rather than later.

But Krauss has turned it up: He's hitting .261 with a .370 on-base percentage and .435 slugging percentage in May, with a pair of homers. A bad April will keep his overall numbers down for a while, but he has something to build on.

"You try not to think about it," Krauss said. "Everybody knows he's coming. He's one of the top prospects in baseball, let alone just in our organization. He's going to get his turn. I just try to go out and play as hard as I can and hopefully impress the team so that I can find a role when he does come up."

Dickenson enjoys trips back home

Ralph Dickenson's first big league job has brought him home twice already, and the first two months of the season aren't over.

Dickenson, the Astros' first-year assistant hitting coach, has been an instructor for more than 35 years, including at Western Washington University, Washington State University and in the Mariners' system. He hails from Bellingham, Wash., north of Seattle.

"It's perfect," Dickenson said of being able to visit home.

Dickenson went on to work for the Brewers, Dodgers, Rangers, Yankees and Nationals organizations before landing in the big leagues for the first time, 45 years after he was drafted.

DeFrancesco back in OKC

Tony DeFrancesco is set to rejoin the Class AAA Oklahoma City RedHawks as their manager on Tuesday after missing the start of the season to undergo treatments for cancer. The treatments, which lasted approximately six weeks at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, were successful, the Astros said Sunday.

"I'm feeling great," DeFrancesco said in a news release. "The treatments went well, and the doctors are optimistic for a full recovery. I'm ready to go and very anxious to get back in the dugout. That's where I want to be. I'm looking forward to seeing the players and staff."

Once DeFrancesco gets settled in completely, interim Oklahoma City manager Tom Lawless is slated to return to his development specialist assignment, which entails roving throughout the farm system.

DeFrancesco, 50, has managed the RedHawks since 2011. The 2014 season is his 20th as a professional manager. He served as the Astros' interim major league manager for the final 41 games of 2012.

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